On September 6, 2018 at about 12:30 p.m., Sergeant Kevin Blake with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office attempted to perform a vehicle stop on a white colored 1995 Chevrolet Silverado for a moving violation in the area of SP and Franklin Avenue in Merced.

However, the vehicle failed to stop and led Sergeant Blake on a pursuit in excess of 80 mile per hour running stop signs through several intersections. During the pursuit, the driver identified as 36 year old Gene Faust, jumped out of the vehicle while it was still in drive and began running on foot. Faust’s vehicle slammed into a tree in the area of Meadowbrook Avenue Avenue in the Beachwood area.

Sergeant Blake pursued Faust on foot through the neighborhood in the area of Balboa Avenue and Meadowbrook Avenue over several fences and through yards. However, Sergeant Blake was able to eventually catch Faust with the help of Detective Ralph Zyskowski, and took him into custody after an exhausting foot chase.

Faust had about a half ounce of crystal methamphetamine in his pocket and two felony warrants for his arrest. Faust was booked into the Merced County Jail without further incident.